Calanthe

Kabanata 4 (I)

Carlo stayed true to his words ever since that day. Alas-singko impunto ay nasa harapan na ng Senior High Building ang aking ingleserong driver, taliwas kung saan at kailan ako sinusundo dati ni Pako. Isang linggo na itong nagtatrabaho sa amin kaya isang linggo ko na ring tinatakasan.

Bit by bit, he grew unconsciously on me that I was anticipating for the bell to ring every five o’clock in the afternoon. I should have known. I should’ve put a stop to it.

So maybe I wouldn’t fall hard only to break harder.

“Kung gusto mong makapanayam ang bastardo ni Ricardo Delgado ay ikaw ang gumawa. I already told you, Orion, I don’t want the job."

Orion groaned while I calmly sipped on my milkshake.

Buong lunch na kaming nagtatalo rito sa cafeteria. Ang gusto niya kasi ay ako ang mag-iinterview kay Carlo tutal naman ay kulang pa raw ako ng isang article.

I then remembered the formal party we attended last week na inilunsad ng mga Delgado. It's for their so-called return. Hindi na ako nagulat nang pati kami ay imbitado o kahit ang makita si Carlo na nandoon, magara ang kasuotan at kahalubilo ang mga kapatid.

My only honest takeaway was that I found their renovated rest house looking so drab and antique. Our estate, with Mommy's eternal design, was the most elegant and luxurious above all the houses here.

"This is Calanthe, my eldest..." pakilala ni Daddy.

Taas-noo kong hinarap ang pamilya na siya mismo ang nagpatalsik. Ang lalakas ng loob bumalik dito ah?

I gave them a half-smirk but it soon turned cold when I saw Ricardo Delgado's gaze softening.

Aaminin kong naiintriga ako sa buhay ng mga Delgado dahil sila lang naman ang rehimeng sumakop sa buong rehiyon ilang dekada na ang nakalipas. Don Apollo Delgado was the legendary titan who ruled with an iron first. And even down to my generation, his name still lingered like a curse.

“Cala, please see reason. We’ll soon be releasing our second issue pero iisa pa lang ang article mo. Siguradong malaki ang magiging kontribusyon ng mga Delgado dahil mainit pa ang issue ng pagbabalik nila. At isa pa, he’s your driver!” bulyaw na naman ni Orion.

"I get that you're hungry for some info but you can actually do it yourself? Bakit ako pa?!" Umabot ang sigaw ko sa table nila.

“Babe, calm down…” By my side, Primo sounded and looked lame.

Inarapan ko ito at sumimsim sa inumin. Napatunayan ko na ngang talaga na wala siyang kwenta sa paggawa ng mga desisyon. Ang alam lang niya ay ang magyabang sa mga barkada at ngumisi sa akin.

I could juggle boys and studies at the same time. That was my talent aside from having a knack in photography that's why Orion recruited me to join his most priced jewel, Magdiwang, our school newspaper club, as his head photojournalist.

Iyon din ang dahilan kung bakit kami nagkakilala ni Roman dahil may ginawa akong article sa team nila noong nakaraang Intramurals. I was the junior basketball team’s official photographer back then. Kasama tuwing practice sa umaga at nasa bangko naman tuwing may opisyal na laro sa gabi.

Roman was a dashing as he could be especially when he'd shoot me a look before doing a three-point shot. Iyong nagsasabing para sa'yo ang puntos at talagang papasok sa ring. It was hella impressive.

Then I looked at Primo. Napanguso ako.

"Cala, ano na?!" sigaw na naman ni Orion.

On a table a few meters away, Bee was munching on a banana while looking back and forth between me and his loud friend. Mara was reading a book as usual habang si Conan ay katsismisan na naman si Allistaire.

Sa isang linggo nitong pagsama sa amin dahil no choice kay Conan ay tahimik pa rin at nagmamasid lang. Ngayon ay nakatingin na rin siya sa amin ni Orion dahil pabanda-banda ang kaniyang apelyido.

Though if Allistaire Delgado was offended, he did not show it which was a smart move.

“Ayoko, Orion! Sinabi nang ayoko!" I slammed my open palm on our table, hindi na nakayanan ang kaniyang pangungulit. "Find someone else to interview him. And I'm not speaking as your subordinate but as your cousin! At ang sagot ko, ayoko!"

Some of my classmates flinched. Tinampal ko ang kamay ni Primo na umaakyat sa gilid ko.

Kitang-kita ko ang paghilot ni Orion sa sentido. I sipped my favorite strawberry milk drink to calm myself.

Actually, if I was being honest with him and myself, I might admit that I was just scared. Sinclair Delgado was a walking enigma. He was as noble as his bloodline yet he was as harsh as his ancestor, Don Apollo, and who was his spitting image.

Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin naiintindihan kung bakit pinili niyang magtrabaho sa amin bilang personal driver ko. Sigurado namang alam niyang may lamat na ang mga pamilya namin. Even until now, my brain couldn't identify him as my driver.

Sometimes, Carlo would look concerned while waiting for me or just plain pissed off. That's his face's trademark. Sa galaw naman ay masyadong pino kahit nagmamaneho lang. Hindi bagay.

Or would it be any different if I didn't know that he's got a royal bloodline? Hindi rin siguro. Mahahalata ko pa ring may kakaiba sa kaniya, sooner or later.

One day, I did try to approach him one time...

"Good morning! Nar'yan ka lang pala," pasimple kong tawag.

Carlo was crouching low to inspect the front tires of our car. The fierce Calanthe Montemayor of the south was reduced to a little girl with her shaky knees. Noon ko lang din nalaman na nagtatapang-tapangan na lang pala ako.

“Ano'ng kailangan mo, madam?” Tandang-tanda ko ang kaswal na pagtingala niya sa akin dahil naka-squat.

Sumisingkit ang kaniyang mga mata, nagmumukhang arogante. Nakasipat ito sa akin habang nakadantay ang braso sa hood ng aming sasakyan.

Damn it. Hindi ganiyan ang nag-iintay ng tanong! You should at least look humble!

Napangiwi ako sa kaniya at sa halip na magtanong ay umiling at umalis. I thanked the sun and stars that it was a weekend or else I wouldn’t be able to face him the next morning.

Kaya ayoko siyang makapanayam. Ayokong magsayang ng oras na kaharap siya kung hindi naman kailangan.

Carlo easily made me feel all… girly. Uneasy. I did not like it. He was too imposing for me that I had no choice but to surrender my fiery spirit. Hindi ako sanay na hindi ako ang may hawak ng sitwasyon.

Suddenly, Roman and his basketball team went inside the cafeteria. Bahagyang natahimik ang mga kumakain. Tumayo pa ang mga junior na nakaupo sa kanilang usual na pwesto.

Bee stood up to greet his friends from that college group, dragging Conan as well. Baka magpapalakas para maisali na sa tryouts.

Tahimik si Roman sa gilid ngunit kita kong tumaas ang kilay nang mas dumikit si Primo sa akin.

Napangiwi ako ngunit hindi umatras.

In front, Roman had gone even more silent. Matagal ko na itong gustong kausapin dahil hindi maganda ang naging bwelo ko nang sinagot si Primo. It's obvious that he's hurting and though I was no saint, I was still human. Besides, naging magkaibigan din naman kami kahit papaano.

Roman's college friends looked at me, shaking their heads in disbelief while the others waved politely. Hindi ako kumaway dahil nagulat ako kay Roman na biglaang nagpaalam!

“Pahangin lang, pre…” tango niya sa mga kaibigan.

My jaw moved a bit, my eyes following his dramatic exit. Napamura ang isa niyang kaibigan habang ang isa naman ay nag-jogging nang sundan ito.

“I’ll go get him! Rom!"

“Damn! Malakas talaga tama niyan kay Cala..."

Primo proudly grinned, keeping me close with his hand on my shoulder. He high-fived with his friends. Noon ko lang napansin na halos buong cafeteria ay nakatingin pala at nanonood. Isa-isa ko silang kinunutan ng noo. Tinanggal ko ang kamay ni Primo at tumayo. Kakausapin ko na si Roman.

Isang senyas lang kay Bee ay sumunod kaagad ito, iniwan kung ano ang importanteng ginagawa. We were also exiting the cafeteria pero isang hakbang pa, somebody poured a bucket of cold orange juice all over me!

My jaw dropped, feeling the sticky liquid seeping through my uniform. At... ang sapatos ko! Ang sapatos ko!

“Hoy! 'Tangina mo?!" Dinuro ni Bee ang isang schoolmate na nagtatakbo paalis. "Sa'n ka pupunta?!" Kumaripas din ito ng takbo upang habulin.

Naiwan ako sa gitna, naliligo sa orange juice at sa tawanan ng mga schoolmate. Some even had the audacity to whip out their phones and took a snap!

Si Primo ay nanatiling nakaupo, gulat na gulat din. Mara and Orion were already up to their feet, handing me a box of tissue while Conan grabbed my bag and hastily pointed at the exit.

“Umalis na tayo! Cala!" malakas niyang anunsyo.

Tahimik kong pinagmasdan ang mga estudyanteng tatawa-tawa pa rin. Satisfaction was written in their eyes probably because someone had finally dared touch a Montemayor! Unang beses itong nangyari, na-harass ako... physically and publicly.

Atsaka lamang ako natauhan nang makita ang sarili sa girls' bathroom. I was still so shocked that they all did that to me. United, they could very well bring me... down?!

Nagpa-panic na si Mara sa locker room namin dahil nagamit na ang parehong P.E. uniform noong isang araw. Wala akong pamalit, damn it.

“I'm going home,” kalmado kong sabi, basang-basa pa rin at nanlalagkit. “I need to change.”

Tumango si Mara. "Sasama ako-"

"You're perfectly dry. Stay here at bumalik ka sa klase mo."

Out of us three siblings, this particular sister of mine mastered the humanistic traits the most. That included empathy, which wasn't helping in my case today.

"Oh my God... I'm so sorry they did that to you." Kinagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi. "A-Ayos ka lang ba, Ate? Hindi ka ba nasaktan?"

"Ayos lang ako. It's just liquid and I'm not made of sugar. I won't melt."

Wala na itong nagawa nang tinawagan ko si Carlo.